


In Peace May You Leave this Shore [In Love May You Find The Next]

by Ambrose



Series: Dare to Write Challenge [15]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Major Character: Death, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 05:15:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8476741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambrose/pseuds/Ambrose
Summary: Lexa watches over the souls in Hades' absence. When Clarke's soul reaches hell, she wants to save her





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RatherCharmingVermin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RatherCharmingVermin/gifts).



Lexa soon gets used to her new job. She's always lived to serve, to help. She could not waste her death away doing nothing, like all these souls who err in Hell. It's not that Hades has taken a holiday, not really, but he's grown tired of watching humans find more ways to kill themselves, and nowadays when a lot of them stay in the City of Light when they die, the job's getting boring. It's more entertaining to go back to Earth with his wife half the year, and bother his mother-in-law. He's even taken to gardening, it seems. Badly, as all he can grow are dead trees, but Persephone doesn't despair. 

So, in the interim, Lexa handles the Underworld. Maybe because she was the last of the Heroes to join the Elysian fields, or because Persephone took a liking to her, but even Hades had commended her level-headedness. He thinks the fact she never really feared death, and considers it a normal part of life, would mean she would not hesitate too much when it came to soul-hoarding. So, when the time comes for the Hellish Couple, as Anya calls them, to head back to the surface, she moves in to their sober castle and oversees the good functioning of the underworld.

Having been reunited with Anya is probably the best thing about being dead. One of the worst is that Nia is there too, and she's jealous of Lexa's standing in this world as well. She thinks this whole business is about killing and cruelty. It's really not. It's about mercy and gentleness, it's about accompanying people, not destroying them. 

There is a mirror in the castle, with which she can see everything and everyone, and often, when Anya isn't looking, her thoughts take it to someone special. They take it to Clarke, and she watches over her, silently, unable to make herself known, to let Clarke know she sees her, she's here with her, and she is proud of her. Unable to let her know she loves her, or to lessen her grief. The very worst thing is that she can no longer be with Clarke. And in this state, she can evolve, and learn and think new thoughts, but her body will always be the same, and her feelings will not change. She will always love Clarke. And she knows that, in all probability, Clarke will one day forget about her, and learn to love another. She hates it, and she hates her heart, but she wishes it for her. Clarke deserves better, she deserves to live her life as fully as she can, she deserves to be happy, not to spend her days grieving her til she dies. 

It comes much sooner than she'd ever thought, and Lexa wishes there was something she could do about it. She's never played with souls, never made the balance tip, she does not know what kind of chaos it might bring, but for Clarke she's willing to try.

But when Clarke appears on the banks of the Styx, confused but determined, and she sees Lexa there, waiting for her, she rushes towards her, and hugs her. She has a few more wrinkles than the last time they've been together, but Lexa wouldn't know. All she sees is the amazing, beautiful woman she loved and still loves with the same intensity. 

"I never stopped loving you." 

It surprises her that Clarke is the first to say these words she'd been wanting to say forever. 

"I told you we'd meet again, on the next shore." Clarke doesn't let go of her to look around them, and Lexa wonders whether she really knows where they are.

"Clarke, we gotta go now, you can't, you can't stay here, it's too soon! You could... I can give you a second chance, but we have to be quick, come!" She takes her hand and tries to drag her the way they came, towards the gates of hell and the surface, where her soul can find her body again before it is too late.

"What are you talking about? Lex? No! I'm with you, now. That's it. I've... I've done all I could. You only ever get one chance at life, and you can't cheat. I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not leaving. I know that I'm dead, and it's not exactly my best day, but. I've lost a fight. It had to happen one day. I've been fighting ever since we came to Earth. You've been fighting ever since you were born. I'm exhausted. I want to rest."

"But—"

"What would happen to you if I went like you want me to?"

Lexa stays silent a moment, before admitting, "I don't know."

"Well, I'm finally back with you. And nothing can happen to us now. So I'm not leaving. I guess we could try and make one of these trades a la Orpheus, but since we're both dead I doubt it'd work. And what is left for us out there? People have to learn to live without us. And grieve. I know I did. But I no longer need to."

Clarke steps onto Charon's vessel without any hesitation, and Lexa follows her, still holding her hand. 

"We're together now. I'm not leaving. In the city of light, you said you'd always be with me. I could feel it, sometimes, you know? As if you were here, as if your spirit were watching over me. But I could never be with you. If you were here, all this time, alone - I'm not leaving you again either. Now I'll well and truly always be with you."

As they reach the other shore, they are greeted by Anya, arms crossed, glaring at Lexa. 

"So _that's_  why you were gone? Jeez, Lex, how cheesy are you! Please tell me you didn't try something stupid?"

Lexa and Clarke echange a look, before Lexa answers in the same sarcastic tone, "You know me, I've had the best of teachers, I never _would_  do something stupid!"

Clarke never thought she'd ever call Anya "warm", but it's with a warm smile that the general welcomes her. "Good to see you, Princess," she jokes. "I'm glad you managed to bring the mountain down without me. That was a tough fight, and you deserved that title, Wanheda. Also, thanks for sticking with this one." She elbows Lexa in the ribs. "She can be complicated, but she's worth it." 

No-one has used that title for her in years, and Clarke feels honoured. She's always looked up to Anya, and to be so acknowledge by her... "I know," she answers humbly. She's looking at her feet, so she misses Lexa's blushing. 

She notices two figures in the distance, and recognises her father and her best friend. She waves, and they come to hug her. 

"Come on," Wells says. "We'll show you around."

She's not exactly thrilled that she's dead, but she missed them all, and an eternity with her friends, with her family, and most of all, with Lexa, doesn't sound too bad. 

If Lexa does feel she should have insisted more to give Clarke that second chance, it doesn't last long when she sees how much she missed everyone, how much grief she still had in her that she can finally let go of. She forgets it entirely when Clarke is holding her, or telling her she loves her, and she remembers they now get to spend eternity together, and no-one can interfere. 


End file.
